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What is the best thing to do if my accelerator pedal gets stuck on the freeway?

There has been almost a panic created by the media over the recent “stuck accelerator pedals” in various Toyota vehicles. Just this week in San Diego, an older gentleman called 911 with an out of control Prius and drew the CHP to his rescue. It has also been suggested that in some of these cases, the incidents were not because of a stuck pedal, but due to driver error or even mis-aligned floor mats. Regardless of the cause, when something like this happens, the worst thing to do is panic! The simplest, safest thing to do is to simply put the car in neutral, turn on your flashers, and coast to the side of the road as soon as possible. This will not hurt your transmission. When the car is in neutral, you still have your braking and steering power, so you will be able to guide your vehicle to a safe place and use the brakes to stop. Shutting off the ignition is not recommended as then your steering and braking capabilities are gone. A recent Washington Post article and an October ... read more

Categories:

Safety

WHY YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TIRES

Have you checked your tire pressures recently? Do you know the birth date of your tires? When did you last run your hand over the tire’s surface and look for cracks or uneven wear? Have you checked to see if the treads are a healthy distance above the wear bars? If you have answered no to any of these questions, you are neglecting one of the most important friends you have! Without your tires, your car won’t go anywhere! And if your tires are not treated well, you may end up with a problem on your hands that could result in serious injury, even death. Here’s why: 1.Tire pressures: if the amount of air in your tires is too low, there is an increased chance of tire failure. There will also be a decrease in mileage as well as an increase in contribution to air pollution. More gas is needed to move the vehicle, thus contributing to more emissions in the air. If the amount of pressure is too high, the tire has less contact with the ground, leading to a less comfortable ride but also ... read more

Categories:

Tires

SAVE MONEY BY KEEPING YOUR CAR HEALTHY

For many of us today, the economic climate is prohibitive to buying a new car. Keeping the car you have healthy, reliable, and fun to drive is not difficult. It just means spending a little time getting to know your car better and following a simple maintenance program. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend a regular interval service routine. Either check your car manual, or call your trusted automotive shop to learn what those intervals are. In general, it is best to bring your car in for service at 4k, 30k, 60k, 7500k, and 90k mileage intervals. Each service will be an opportunity for your vehicle to be checked and for any problems to be identified. In between maintenance services, you can help prevent large repair bills by doing the following: 1. check your oil level 2. check your fluid levels (brake, coolant, power steering) 3. check tire pressures 4. keep track of time and mileage on your timing belt. Also, stay in tune with your vehicle; listen for unfamiliar noise ... read more

Categories:

Auto Maintenance

WHAT TO DO WITH THAT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT?

What is your first reaction when you see that Check Engine warning light appear on your dashboard? I have found that some panic, some question it, and others ignore it. Overall, I find that there is a lot of confusion about what a check engine light means, and unfortunately the automotive repair industry is mainly to blame. The consumer sees such a discrepancy in how the industry communicates with the public, that confusion is inevitable. Some places advertise they will diagnose your check engine light for FREE, while others ask for a substantial fee. What accounts for these differences, and what should you expect to have happen with a check engine light repair/service? Here is what you need to know: This service can only be performed correctly if the shop has invested in the right equipment, the right software and trained technicians with access to the right information to determine the cause of a warning light. The equipment and software must be updated every year, and that ... read more

Categories:

Auto Repair

What are the Benefits of Filling my Cars Tires with Nitrogen?

The practice/concept of filling street car tires (tires that are driven on city streets) with nitrogen has been around for the last few years. The idea has its foundation in the racing industry where nitrogen has been used to fill race tires and run air tools for decades. What is good for race cars must be good for street cars, right? Not so fast! There are reasons why nitrogen is used in the racing industry that do not transfer to everyday, street-driven vehicles.: 1. The nitrogen molecule is larger than the mixture of molecules in regular air. Race tires are purposely built for adhesion and not for longevity, so must be as light as possible. Therefore, the race tire sidewall is not as thick and durable as on street tires. In short, race tires do not do a good job of holding inflation for long periods of time. They tend to go flat within weeks. Thus, the larger nitrogen molecules help them stay inflated longer. Street tires are very durable, and hold inflation quite well, so the ... read more

Categories:

Tires
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